Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

These fun & colorful stuffed peppers are a fiesta for the eyes and the mouth 😉 It all starts with a delicious (and incredibly easy) Mexican-style quinoa filling with TONS of flavor... stuffed in a pretty pepper package! By the time it takes the quinoa to cook, you can have everything prepped and ready to go. Then just let the oven do the work!

It's a fun recipe to customize based on your own tastes or what you have on hand. Swap out the black beans for pinto beans, add a can of diced tomatoes for a juicier filling (we love this!), swap out the quinoa for rice, or add some spice with smoky chipotle, etc. They're great served as is, or with any desired toppings (guacamole/avocado is my favorite). Hope you enjoy them too - let the pepper party commence!

Directions
Cook quinoa according to package directions with 1 1/2 cups water/broth. (I often use vegetable broth in place of water for more flavor.)
Meanwhile, halve bell peppers and remove stems, seeds and ribs.
Rinse and drain black beans, thaw corn, and slice green onions.
In a large mixing bowl, add cooked quinoa and all other ingredients except bell peppers. Stir to combine, and adjust taste if necessary (salt, more seasonings, nutritional yeast).
Preheat oven to 350.
In a 9x13" baking dish, place pepper halves, and generously stuff them with the quinoa filling. Lightly press down to compact and fill all the crevices.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 10 minutes more.
Serve with any desired toppings.

Tip: to make them a bit "juicier" just add a can of diced tomatoes - I love this addition!

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Haaaaaa too much cumin! Great recipe but only put a pinch of cumin. It's a very strong spice that should never be used in that amount. To an entire gallon of green chile I add only a pinch. Cumin in small quantities compliments flavor, a teaspoon and a half would OVERWHELM!!!!!

To each their own. People's tastes are different. I like the amount given in this recipe. It's perfect for me. You need not express your sentiments here. It's not your blog. No need to be rude. Or attempt to force your opinion on others based on your likes alone. In my opinion, it DOES NOT OVERWHELM!!!!!!

Hi Janet! I've never done that, but I like the idea! I'm guessing the filling would do just fine cooked beforehand. Or you could also just cook the quinoa ahead of time. Would love to hear if you give it a go! :)

Hi Connie! I don't provide nutritional stats, but if you'd like to calculate your own you can try this website: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.phpI've heard it's pretty straightforward and easy to use. Hope that helps! :)

Hi!! Stuffed peppers are so fun aren't they? :) Personally I've never tried freezing them, but I've heard they do pretty well and hold their shape. Just a guess but I'd probably try freezing them before baking. Would love to hear if you give it a go and how it turns out! Have a great weekend!!

These look awesome I am a vegetarian but my fiance is not I would like to make half this way and half subbing ground beef for the beans. Do you know, should I cook the beef before filling the peppers or just add it raw and it will cook in the oven?

Hi Elaine! I've never had vegemite before, but nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast with a slightly cheesy/nutty flavor - it's a great vegan substitute for cheese! It's also packed with lots of vitamins and minerals, including protein, fiber, and B12. We use it all the time! Hope you enjoy the peppers :)

Hi! I've personally never tried freezing these, but just read up on freezing stuffed bell peppers and they do quite well! Try cooking them first, then be sure they cool off completely before freezing. And also totally seal them up in the freezer :) Hope you enjoy. Would love to hear how it goes if you give it a try!

Hi Janet! Definitely! People have commented that they tried that variation with success :) It's a fun recipe to play around with! I also love adding a can of diced tomatoes for a little more juice/flavor. Hope you enjoy!!

Hi there! This response is way late (apologies!), but I'd suggest a fresh salad, fruit, or simple veggie dish which would all be super easy. Stuffed peppers are kind of tricky to pair with - I feel like they're an all-in-one dish in themselves! ;)

OMG, this is good and I even made extra to freeze. I have only been eating a plant based diet for a couple of years. Your recipes are so helpful, easy, tasty.Thank you for sharing. You are a great cook and teacher.

Hi Patsy! What a sweet comment, thanks so much for your kind words :) I'm thrilled to hear you're enjoying the recipes and it's SO great to hear you're plant-based as well! (My husband and I have been vegan for about 4-5 years now and absolutely love it.) :) Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment - hope you continue to enjoy the recipes! Wishing you a lovely rest of the week <3

I am making these for the second time tonight. My daughter is vegan, so she is the reason we tried it the first time. Per her request, I'm leaving out the smoked paprika (we figured out it was the smokiness she disliked) and I will be cooking them in the crockpot to make them extra tender. Can't wait!